The federal government is to establish a National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics to engage young people in the emerging challenges in digital Nigeria.
The Center, when established, is also expected to take Nigerian youth one step further and make them globally competitive in their ICT providers.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, revealed this in his speech at the Opening Day of Digital Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday. He reported that the plan was ongoing as he was currently briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the merits for the establishment of the center.
He also revealed that plans were underway to establish the National Policy for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which is expected to come into operation before the end of the year.
According to him, the policy, when established, would enhance industrialization and entrepreneurship in the country.
Speaking of the achievements of his ministry and its agencies in the last year, Pantami said that the level of broadband penetration had increased from 30% to 45% in one year, indicating an unprecedented increase of 10% in one year. .
“All things being equal, if we keep up with the pace we are going, we will reach 90% in the next five years,” he said.
The Minister further reported that the Nigeria Digital Virtual Academy established to help cushion the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown had so far trained a record 66,000 Nigerian youth.
On the sponsorship of local ICT products, the minister said that sponsorship had increased to 500% in one year due to the implementation of the local content policy of the current administration.
By securing cyberspace, Pantami revealed that the ministry and its agencies, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA), were strengthening the nation’s IT security wall. “The details of what we are doing exactly cannot be made public,” he said.
“All things being equal, if we maintain the pace we are going, we will reach 90% in the next five years,” he added.
